Visible card file



May 25, 1937. F. E. sHAlLoR VISIBLE CARD FILE Filed March 9, 1952 Patented May 25, 1937 PATENT OFFICE VISIBLE CARD FILE Frank E. Shailor, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application March 9, 1932, Serial No. 597,818

16 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to visible card indexes or files.

In handling record cards of the type wherein groups of cards are arranged upon a holder or retaining strip in internested offset overlapping relation with a margin of each card exposed for I visible indexing, considerable inconvenience has r grouping of the cards.

been experienced in applying and removing the cards from the holders or in transferring groups of cards from one holder to another.

This invention provides a construction for slidably supporting the cards in such manner that holders or retaining strips can be transferred from one file to another without disturbing the Likewise, the construction greatly facilitates the adding of new groups of cards or rearranging the groups of cards when such operations are necessary. Thus the invention provides for either a permanent card file holder or transfer retaining strips in a single construction that is very simple mechanically and is easily operated. Another feature of the invention is an improved panel construction with the detachable retaining strips so arranged as to insure cooperation of the panel and strips in facilitating the supporting, transporting, and manipulating of the cards.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of -an improved index panel structure.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-section, on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section, on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-section, taken substantially along the line l-'ll of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a retaining strip with a card thereon.

An index or supporting panel I0 is shown in the form of a rectangular sheet of material reinf forced at its upper and lower edges by means of beads I 2 formed by reversely folding the edge portions of the material. This sheet material is stamped or formed to provide offset card-supporting panel portions I3, I4 and I5, each of which comprises a pair of spaced parallel vertical offset sections I'I defining an intermediate depression I8. Upper transverse offset sections I9 close the upper ends of the depressions I8 and join the upper ends of each pair of offset vertical sections I'I, whereas the lower end of each depression is open. In order to provide a uniform arrangement the surface of each depression is in the mean plane of the sheet of material. In addition to serving as card-supporting sections the offset panel portions Aalso reinforce the sheet of material against bending or warping.

The wall or bottom of each depression I8 rigidly carries two rivets 20 the outer,ends of which are provided with heads 22 spaced slightly from the surface of the wall by means of relatively short spacing shanks 23. Card-retaining strips 24 are normally disposed between sections I'I of each panel portion and are each provided with a central offset portion 2li running longitudinally of, but terminating adjacent, the ends of the strip. These central offset portions of the strips are provided with openings 21 having notches 28 extending in the same direction, merging into and forming a part of the openings. It will be observed that the openings on each stripand the rivets in each panel are spaced the same distance and thatthe openings are larger than the heads of the rivets. Hence, by placing the strips in such position that the openings register with the rivets the strip can be moved longitudinally to secure the rivet Shanks 23 snugly within the notches 28 which are of less width than the diameter of the rivet head. Thus, cooperating parts are provided on the panel and strip to detachably secure the strip to the panel. It is to be understood that rivets 20 provide a keeper means on the panel, and openings 21 provide a keeper means on the strip. Also, these keeper means are located at opposite ends of the panel or recess therein, and at opposite ends of the strip. These keeper means may be placed even farther apart than shown. Keeper means at the terminals of the strips are comprehended as coming within the scope of the invention.

The offset construction of the strips provides flanges 29 spaced from the surface of the depressions in the panel portions. In order that each strip 24 may be releasably locked against longitudinal movement upon the rivets, a shoulder 30 provided by the upper extremity of the offset central portion 26 is positioned so that it abuts a corresponding shoulder of the transverse offset section I9. Thus by manipulating an outwardly bent handle 3I at the upper end of the strip the latter can be sprung outwardly to disengage the shoulders 30 and 35. Then the strip is moved longitudinally until the rivet heads register with the larger portions of the openings and the strip can then be removed.

A plurality of notches 32 in the upper edge of the sheet of material II] adjacent each of the panel portions I3, I4 and I5 facilitates the grasping of the handles when it is desired to manipulate the strips or to remove them from the supporting panel.

The lower portion of the strip 24 is beveled, as indicated at 33, and the end portion adjacent the beveling has a card stop or narrow flange 34 extending outwardly from the sheet of material. Bottom stops in the form of ears 33 extending toward and adjacent the lower edges of each panel section il are struck out from the sheet of material and are so positioned as to be substantially in alignment with the flanges 3d when the strips are secured to the sheet of material. A series of index cards 3l' is mounted upon the removable retaining strip 253 by means of ears 38 cut from each card adjacent one of its edges. These ears extend toward each other and by forcing them slightly outwardly from the surface of the card they can be fitted snugly about the opposite edge flanges 29 of the strip and are slidable thereon. As shown in Fig. l these cards overlap each other and the portions including the ears provide for arranging them in internested relation whereby the edges of the cards are exposed in uniform sequence for receiving indexing indicia thereon. By mounting a group of these internested cards upon the strip and securing the strip upon the rivets as shown in Figs. l and 3, the lower card abuts the ange 35i at the lower end of the strip and the lower edge of the lowermost card is also embraced adjacent its opposite corners by the ears Se. Itwill be observed that the length of the flange 34 is less than the distance between the extremities of the ears 38 on each card 3l.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the strips with the cards thereon can be shifted from one panel to another or from one le to another simply by manipulating the strip 2t to remove it from one set of rivets 2B to another. Likewise each strip- 24 serving as a runway for the cards can be utilized as a transfer strip, that is, one of the strips can be aligned manually with another strip and the cards thereon, or a group of them, can be transferred by forcing them from one strip to another. For example, a strip containing cards to be transferred may be detached from its connection with a panel and the upper end as shown in Fig. l inserted under the lower end of another strip to which the cards are to be transferred so that the upper end of the first strip engages between the lower end of the second strip and the panel to which the strip is secured. Then, by sliding the cards on the second strip carried by the panel toward the opposite or upper end, the cards on the detached strip may then be slidably moved from the detached strip onto the second strip on the panel, the ears riding under the side edges of the two strips in this transferring operation. Where cards at the upper end of a strip on the panel are to be removed or transferred to another strip, the other strip is Vdetached from the panel and the lower end provided with flange 35i is engaged on top of the rst-mentio-ned strip on the panel and slidably inserted underneath the cards on the first-mentioned strip from the upper end. When flange 311 engages below the lower edge of the desired group of cards to be removed from the strip on the panel, the detached strip is then rnc-ved upwardly over the face of the attached strip on the panel while ange 3d will engage the lower edge of the lowermost card of the group to be removed and slide the group upwardly on the retaining strip on the panel until they slide oi the upper end. They will then be carried on the detached strip and retained thereon by flange 313. Any other convenient manipulation of the strip may be employed in transferring cards from one strip to another that may be found desirable. rlhus the employment ci a separate transfer strip of the kind previously utilized is obviated. When the strips with the cards mounted thereon are secured in place upon the several panel portions the cards are maintained in proper alignment and prevented from tilting by the edges being embraced by the ears 36 and the stop flange 34, while sections il provide a support for the backs of the cards beyond the edges of the retaining strip and anges 29 so they are supported against substantial flexing on the retaining strip. Morcover, the stop ange 34 prevents the cards from slipping from the strip when the latter are detached from the rivets 2i). However, in removing cards from one of the strips 24, by lifting the edge of the lower card over the ange 34 the ears of the cards will not strike the flange because the beveled corners, indicated at 33, are suniciently extensive to accommodate the size of the ears 33. Index cards of this type are likely to become congested during the listing and arranging of them at certain locations and it is necessary to insert new holders, or transfer cards the kind disclosed herein because of the free and flexible manner afforded for the manipulation and removal of the strips 24 which are either serviceable transfer strips or efficient permanent retaining strips for holding the cards. The advantage of great economy in time is involved in mounting new cards upon the strips, arranging the cards in groups and applying them to the removed strip instead of applying them one by one in the manner previously practiced in manipulating other types of index cards.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A rile for index cards comprising a paneled sheet of material, the paneled portion of the sheet of material comprising offset card-supporting sections, a retaining strip normally disposed between offset sections of the panel portion and having offset flanges for supporting index cards, said retaining strip having openings therein including notches communicating with the major portions of the openings, attaching members having heads secured in spaced relation with respect to the sheet of material for cooperation with the openings and notches of the strip whereby the strip is removably attached to the sheet, one end portion of the strip being shouldered to provide a stop for snapping into contact with an oilset portion of the sheet, and a stop at the other end of the strip for maintaining the index cards thereon.

2. A le for index cards comprising a paneled portion including a pair of offset sections disposed in spaced parallel relation, a transverse offset section joining adjacent end portions of the pair of sections, a retaining strip having a central pressed-out portion defining a shoulder adjacent one of its ends, and means for detachably securing the strip between the pair of sections, said shoulder and transverse offset section cooperating normally to maintain the securing means against disengagement.

3. In a le for index cards, a sheet of material including a reinforcing card-supporting panel portion, said panel portion comprising spaced parallel offset sections joined at one extremity and having a relatively depressed portion shouldered on three sides, and card stops adjacent one edge of the sheet of material and in alignment with the offset sections.

4. In a le for index cards, a card-retaining strip comprising means for cooperating in detachably attaching it to an index file, an outward projection forming a card stop at one end of the strip, said strip having an offset depressed central portion running longitudinally thereof to form offset side flanges for slidably receiving and supporting index cards, the card stop extending on said reduced end in an opposite direction from the offset central portion.

5. A holder for index cards comprising a supporting panel, a card-retaining strip, cooperating parts on said panel and strip detachably connecting said strip to said panel at opposite ends with the major longitudinal portion of said strip in surface engagement with said panel, and cooperating parts on said panel and strip for normally retaining said rst-mentioned cooperating parts in engaged relation.

6. A le for index cards comprising a sheet of material formed with raised paneled portions, la retaining strip formed with an offset portion, and means detachably securing the strip to said sheet with the offset portion engaging said sheet, said strip and the paneled portions of said sheet cooperating to support a plurality of index cards in offset overlapping substantially flat relation on said strip.

7. 1n a file for index cards, a card-retaining strip having a central oiset portion, said portion being formed to provide means for cooperating to detachably attach the offset portion of said strip in surface contact with a support, and an outwardly extending flange on one end of said strip forming a card stop.

8. A card file comprising a panel of sheet-material, a retaining strip having an oiset portion engaged on the face of said panel and edge portions of said strip being spaced from said panel to receive and slidably support a plurality of index cards, and cooperating parts on said strip and panel detachably connecting said strip to said panel.

9. A card file, comprising a pair of members, one of said members being a panel of sheet-material, the other member a retaining strip, one of said members being formed with an oiset portion having its surface engaged with the surface of the other member, said retaining strip having its marginal portions in spaced parallel relation to said panel for slidably receiving and supporting index cards, and cooperating parts detachably connecting said members together.

l0. A card file, comprising a panel of sheetmaterial, a card-retaining strip formed with an offset portion intermediate the side edges, said offset portion engaging sai-d panel and positioning said side edges in spaced parallel relationv to said panel for slidably receiving and supporting index cards, and means detachably retaining said strip on said panel with said offset portion engaged with said panel.

1l. A card le comprising a panel, a card-retaining strip formed with an offset portion extending longitudinally between the end portions and intermediate the side edges, said oiTset portion engaging said panel and positioning said side edges in spaced parallel relation to said panel for supporting index cards, and said offset portion having portions formed for detachable engagement with cooperating parts on the panel to detachably secure said strip to said panel.

12. A device of the class described including a panel having vertically alined spaced keeper means, a detachable card carrying member adapted to be engaged with said keeper means by a movement toward and parallel to the panel, and cooperating means on the card holder and panel for preventing accidental displacement of the card carrier from said keeper means.

13. As an article of manufacture, a ling device comprising a substantially flat sheet-like panel adapted to be placed vertically in a filing drawer and having upper and lower keeper means, a card carrier, means on the card carrier for engaging with said upper and lower keeper means on the panel for detachably interlocking the card carrier with the panel, and offset means formed at the lower portion of the body of the panel and spaced therefrom to provide a card receiving pocket and said offset means serving as a guard for the lowermost card on the carrier when the panel is inserted and removed from the filing drawer and also to prevent cards from sliding oif the lower edge of the carrier.

14. As an article of manufacture, a ling device comprising a panel of relatively ilat self-sustaining sheet material adapted to be placed vertically in a filing drawer, the body of said panel having an elongated medially disposed recess formed by pressing the material of the panel to one/side of the major plane thereof, keeper means at the opposite ends of said recess, and a detachable card carrier strip adapted to be placed in said recess and having means at opposite ends thereof for releasab-ly engaging with said keeper means.

15. A file for index cards comprising a sheet of material having shoulders dening raised portions, a retaining strip disposed between parts of the raised portions, said strip having an intermediate depressed portion between edge flanges, means for detachably securing the strip to the sheet of material between said parts of the raised portions, said shoulders, raised portions and the edge flanges of the strip extending outwardly approximately the same distance from the surface of the sheet of material to provide a backing and support for index cards mounted on the strip, whereby index cards mounted upon the retaining strip contact uniformly across the supporting flanges of the strip and said parts of the raised portions and one of said shoulders engaging the depressed portion of the strip and serving as means for locking the strip into engagement with the sheet `of material in cooperation with the detachable securing means.

16. A file for index cards comprising a plurality of panel portions, card retaining strips for slidably supporting index cards, cooperating parts on opposite ends of each panel and strip detachably mounting any one of said strips on any one of said panel portions in surface Contact With said panel portion and for interchangeable attachment and detachment with respect to each panel portion, and each strip and panel portion being formed at the ends of said strips in the attached relation of each strip to receive the end of a detached strip in cooperation therewith whereby index cards may be directly and slidably moved from the detached strip to the attached strip, and v1ce versa.

FRANK E. SI-IAILOR. 

